Where those associated with Western films from around the world are laid to rest.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

RIP Jukka Virtanen

Jukka Virtanen, 1933-2019, made a huge career in
entertainment - this is how he summed up his life: "It's been fun"

With his personality and work, Jukka Virtanen left a big
mark on the Finnish entertainment, theater and music scene.

Italheti

September 1, 2019

Jukka Virtanen was born into his family on the 25th
of July 1933 in Jämsänkoski.

- I was a timid and lonely child, and I became a bookworm
early on. Immersed in the world of adventure books, Virtanen told Iltalehti.

Despite his dyslexia, Virtanen dreamed of being a writer.
From an early age, he found his second love, football, in addition to reading.
He played football in Jyväskylä, Finland .

As a bachelor student, Vesa wrote in 1953. He went to
Helsinki to study Finnish language and literature.

He met his life partner Liisa on the steps of the
Hämäläinen department in 1957. Virtanen stopped, gave the beautiful young woman
his phone number and coins and asked her to call. Liisa said she was in love
right away, but didn't call until two years later. The couple were married in
March 1960. The firstborn Riikka was already making his appearance. Ville was
born a year later.

During his studies he also met Spede Passe . At the time
left to sprout cooperation refined in subsequent decades radiohupailuiksi,
movies, and TV - programs. He directed the 1960 - century comedy common Nutty
Finland and Around 7 brothers .

Television legend

Virtanen worked at the Finnish Broadcasting ab: n TV1: as
an entertainment journalist, in 1958 - 1966 after which he was a freelance
artist.

He appeared on radio in 1960 - in the early years by
participating in Kankkulan well - radiohupailun hand writing .

Virtanen and Matti Kuusla formed Treasure Elon with VEK -
a working group. The trio will be remembered, especially SnowCastle - TV -
program, which won the 1965 Montreux ' s Golden Rose - a prize . VEK - the trio
also produced and directed the work Junction Station (1962) and the Loco -
motion (1966).

He is also known for the TV Levyraati - and Runoraati -
programs. He performed on television between 1980 and 1997. From 2002 to 2012,
he was a regular member of the Runorate, which was seen at the Runorade

Smith translated The Advent Calendar - series (1997)
screenplay and starred in the series .

Lyricist, singer
and writer

As a singer, Virtanen's songs include Hanna and Niilo,
Balladi about a boy named Vee, Perspirant - Antti and The City's Ugliest Man.

His lyricl pen also produced some 250 lyrics recorded by
other artists . The most famous of them are, for example, Country Landscape,
Again the Time of the Sun, Seven Times Seven and Virtanen's translation of the
Hottentot song.

In 2008, the tribute album Sanat Jukka Virtanen was
released on Virtanen's lyrics.

Virtanen also published eight books, some of which were
co-authored with other authors.

Theater - and the
author of the opera

In 1978, Virtanen co-founded the entertaining New Happy Theater
(UIT). He belonged to a theater group together the original manuscript Seppo
Ahti, Matti Kuusla and Jaakko Salo with . He also directed the UIT: The revues
in 1989-1999. He vaiktutti UIT: in 2010 and 2013 did not return to the script
team.

The man's expertise also extended to the translation of
musicals. His pen imprint survived in translations of Les Miserablés, Miss
Saigon and West Side Story, among others. He also wrote the music for the play
Pyynikin Albatrossi based on the songs of Juha Vainio.

Virtanen also
wrote three opera librettos.

Virtanen was awarded the 2001 State Prize for Art. In the
award ceremony he was praised as a versatile and distinguished representative
of popular culture in our country. In 2008, he received a career award as
lyricist Juha Vainio - prize. He was also awarded the Venla twice in his life's
work - prize.

Person

Jukka Virtanen's warm and humorous personality became
familiar to all Finns. His recognizable manner of speaking and the twinkle in
his eye's eye kept many alive.

Virtanen openly talked about the difficulties of his
private life, such as alcoholism, bipolar disorder and prostate cancer. His
good friend, pacifier Seppo Ahti, crystallized Virtanen's face for cancer and
drinking. Virtanen stopped drinking alcohol at the beginning of the millennium

He was followed by
bipolar disorder from his youth.

- There are times when I am active, I own the whole of
Europe and I do not even refuse to sell Sweden. Then comes the depression
episode, Virtanen told in 2015 Iltalehti.

Virtanen was the sport - and the Temperance Society
founding member of the zoom .

- I wouldn't have survived if I hadn't moved all the time.
For myself, it is a lifeline that I walk and exercise. Also the sociality of
exercise, the circle of friends has wonderfully helped in trouble, he said in
2015.

The children of Virte also became known for their work.
An actor and writer from Wille, a make-up artist from Riga .

Long fight

Virtanen's health was tested many times. Towards the end
of the year, prostate cancer spread to his bones. He had also undergone heart
bypass surgery. At the age of eight, he also suffered from a brain disorder
that resulted in memory loss. By stimulating the brain, it was almost
completely restored.

In the spring of 2015, Virtanen reported that she had
been given life for a couple of years. The cancer had already spread to the
bone.

Virtanen spent summers in his childhood landscapes in
Jämsänkoski. Also, children and grandchildren gathered there often in summer -
and the Christmas tradition. In summer 2016, Virtanen 83 was celebrated in
Jämsänkoski. At the same time, the opening of the football field bearing the
name of Jukka Virtanen was celebrated.

- No pains or other ailments. The progression of cancer
has stopped somewhere in the bones and does not cause any harm The cataract has been cut like a viscose from
all ages. I am a healthy 83 - years old, and as far as Yi Jia Yi Jia. Then when
we leave, we go like a man.

The moment of
departure came.

Memories remain alive. Like Virtanen's statement in some
of his last years.

- It's been fun. Life is a nice thing, said the man who
dreamed that his ashes would be sprinkled from his home in Jämsänkoski from
Poppokallio to Kankarisvesi. In the same waters as a child he learned to swim.

Life is nice. Jukka Virtanen was instrumental in making
the life of Finns more fun.

About Me

Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1946 I have a BA degree in American History from Cal St. Northridge. I've been researching the American West and western films since the early 1980s and visiting filming sites in Spain and the U.S.A. Elected a member of the Spaghetti Western Hall of Fame 2010.